Thief Takes Tourist`s Valuables

BOCA RATON — A tourist from Wisconsin lost her purse and $520 cash Wednesday when a thief broke into her friend`s car trunk, police said.

The car had been parked unattended at Lake Worth Beach from 1:36 a.m. until 2:45 p.m., police said.

There were no signs of forced entry into the car itself, but the burglar pulled out the back seat in order to reach into the trunk, police said.

Also missing from the purse were two wallets, five circus tickets, identification and medicine, police said. The circus tickets were later recovered in a paper bag nearby, police said.

TELEVISION SET, CABLE BOX STOLEN

A $475 television set and cable box were stolen Tuesday from a house in the 500 block of South L Street, police said.

The burglar entered the house by pushing in a window screen near the door and reaching in to open the door between 9 a.m. and 10:15 p.m., police said. Aluminum beams valued at almost $2,000 were stolen last weekend from the bridge construction site on Palmetto Park Road at the Intracoastal Waterway, police said.

Four of the beams were 14 feet long and seven more were 12 feet long, police said. None was secured.A man with a blanket over his head walked into a house in the 300 block of Northwest First Street and stole about $100 from the man who lives there. Police said the man entered the home at about 3 a.m. Wednesday. He used strong language, according to the victim. Police said the man took about $100 from the victim`s pocket before leaving.

BOYS ARRESTED IN THEFT OF CAR KEYS

Three boys were arrested Wednesday after they were identified by a witness as the thieves who stole car keys from two used-car dealers.

The boys, who were about 13 or 14, stole about a half dozen keys from Fleet Leasing on Southeast Fifth Avenue and Beach Cars on South Federal Highway.Approximately 50 Rhapis palm trees were taken from Distinctive Palms Nursery, 305 S. 153rd Road in Delray Beach, sometime between Saturday morning and Tuesday afternoon, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff`s Office report.

The trees are valued at $100 each. A push cart valued at $295 also was taken, the report said.

BARKING DOG SCARES OFF INTRUDER

A homeowner in the 8000 block of Cedar Hollow Lane, west of Boca Raton, awoke to the sound of his dog barking at 2 a.m. Thursday. When he went to investigate, he found the front door open and a window screen cut, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff`s Office report.

The deputies tracked the suspected burglar to a model home farther down Cedar Hollow Lane where they found the window open and mud on the walls, but no one was found, the report said. Nothing was taken from either home, according to the report.